Having
now made the primary (now the "nested") matrix data region a data
item within the context of the second matrix data region, we can
leverage the power of the matrix mechanism to control matrix
behavior, just as we can use it to manage data, via row and column groups,
and so forth. We shall see a demonstration of this in the following steps.
20.
Right-click
the upper left corner of the parent matrix data region, in the manner we
did before with the now-nested matrix.
NOTE: It is important, once we venture
upon nesting data regions within each other, as we have in this example,
to always be aware of "where we are" within the object set we transit.
We can always keep an eye on the Properties window, where we can see
that we have selected the intended matrix. (Using descriptive naming
conventions at creation, versus the default names, for our report items
certainly enhances our ability to use the names we see in the Properties
window, and elsewhere, with a greater degree of utility).
21.
Select Properties
from the context menu that appears, as depicted in Illustration 32.
22.
Click the Groups
tab on the Matrix Properties dialog, when it appears.
23.
Click the
single item appearing in the Columns list box, as shown in Illustration 33.
Illustration 33: Select
the Column Entry ...
24.
Click the Edit
button to the immediate right of the Columns list box.
The Grouping
and Sorting Properties dialog appears, defaulted to the General tab.
25.
Select the
following using the drop down selector, to the right of the top line in the Expression
list, under the Group on label:
=Fields!Sales_Territory_Group.Value
The Grouping
and Sorting Properties dialog - General tab appears as depicted in Illustration
34.
Illustration 34: Grouping
and Sorting Properties Dialog - General tab
26.
Click OK to
accept changes and return to the Groups tab.
27.
Click OK
once more, to dismiss the Matrix Properties dialog.
28.
Click in the textbox
watermarked "Rows," within the parent matrix data region
to display the gray column and row headers for the matrix once
more,
29.
Pass the cursor
over the bottom left edge of the row headers.
30.
When the
cursor becomes a double-headed arrow, click to "grab" the bottom of
the row.
31.
Narrow the
bottom row of the parent matrix by dragging upward, as shown in Illustration 35.
Illustration 35: Narrow
the Bottom Row of the Parent Matrix ...
Note
that narrowing the bottom row in the parent matrix in this manner
compresses all rows of the nested matrix. Had we tried to narrow
the individual rows within the nested matrix, we would have met
with difficulty sizing one without sizing others. This is one of several
awkward aspects of nesting a matrix within another matrix: we
would do well to weigh such eccentricities with the gains in presentation
capabilities, before deciding upon this avenue in our reporting projects.
(Other issues, such as impaired export to Excel and other file formats, should
also be taken into consideration, of course).
32.
Highlight the column
group label expression =Fields!Sales_Territory_Group.Value) in the column heading textbox for the nested
matrix.
33.
Right-click
the highlighted expression.
34.
Select Cut
from the context menu that appears, as depicted in Illustration 36.
Illustration 36: Moving
the Column Group Label Expression to the Parent Matrix ...
35.
Click again
in the parent matrix textbox marked "Rows," to
give the parent matrix (along with its column and row
headers) the focus, once more.
36.
Click within the
group column heading textbox for the parent matrix, to enter the textbox.
37.
Right-click
from within the textbox.
38.
Select Paste
from the context menu that appears, as shown in Illustration 37.
Illustration 37: Transplanting
the Column Group Label Expression to the Parent Matrix ...
39.
With the
cursor still in the textbox housing the newly copied Column Group label expression,
click the Bold formatting button in the toolbar atop the Report
Designer.
40.
Click the Center
formatting button, lying several buttons to the right of the Bold button,
next, as depicted in Illustration 38.
Illustration 38: With
Textbox Selected, Click Bold and then Center ...
41.
With the textbox
housing the newly copied Column Group label expression still selected,
pass the cursor over the top right edge of the column headers.
42.
When the
cursor becomes a double-headed arrow, click to "grab" the right edge
of the rightmost column header.
43.
Narrow the
right column of the parent matrix by dragging left (enough to tighten
the columns around their respective labels – I ultimately took mine to about
the 4.75 inches point on the ruler atop the canvas), as shown from a starting point in Illustration 39.
Illustration 39:
Narrow the Right Column of the Parent Matrix ...
44.
In a similar
manner, narrow the column to the immediate left of the one just adjusted – the
column containing the Rows textbox – to about the .5 inches point
on the ruler.
45.
Click the
upper left corner of the gray column and row headers of the
parent matrix to select the matrix, once again.
46.
When the
matrix becomes highlighted, as before, use the directional arrow keys to move
the parent matrix data region to the upper left hand corner of the
canvas, as depicted in
Illustration 40.
Illustration 40: The
Parent Matrix Data Region Flush with the Upper Left Corner of the Canvas
47.
Delete the image
/ label textboxes we earlier moved out of the matrix.
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